Fluid pressure controlled planing and trim means for water craft



Dec. 3, 1968 H. CQLL 3,413,948

FLUID PRESSURE CONTROLLED PLANING AND TRIM MEANS FOR WATER CRAFT Filed Sept. 12, 1966 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS HAR Y H. COLL United States Patent 3,413,948 FLUID PRESSURE CONTROLLED PLANING AND TRIM MEANS FOR WATER CRAFT Harry H. Coll, Pompano Beach, Fla., assignor to Chris- Craft Industries, Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 578,877 2 Claims. (Cl. 114-66.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Fluid pressure control planing and trim means of a novel type are disclosed for use on water craft. The hull of the craft is recessed on opposite sides of its keel center line to receive a pair of identical, flexible, hollow and inflatable plane units. These are variably pressurized from the interior of the craft to inflate them, thus displacing a bottom planing surface of each unit downwardly from a retracted position in the hull recess to an extended planing position beneath the hull. Each planing unit is of a flexible material and in a generally triangular cross section, the apex of which is at the forward portion of the recess. Further, each planing unit, in the form of a fluid-tight envelope shaped thusly, has bellows wall formations on each of its opposite sides, so that the en- .velope is assisted in its fluid pressure expansion and distension to the inflated position, as well as assisted in collapsing automatically, and otherwise unaided, to the deflated position. The planing envelope is equipped on its bottom with a relatively inflexible plate-like sheath.

The present invention relates to improved means for the adjustable control of the trim or planing of a powerdriven water craft. The control means is of the general type illustrated and described in the copending application of Eugene L. Eckfield, Ser. No. 577,878, filed Sept. 8, 1966, having many of the operational advantage of that control, as well as advantages in regard to the manner of installation of the present improvement on the craft, particularly in regard to whether the latter has a curved or a rectilinear hull and transom edge extending from its center keel line to its chine line.

More especially, however, the trim and planing control means of the invention is in the form of an inflatable control plane unit (one such unit being installed on each side of the keel of the hull), with provisions for variably pressurizing and inflating an envelope-type plane member of the unit for the purpose of varying the position of a bottom surface of the member in vertical reference to the hull surface adjoining the plane member. Under inflation and deflation the latter moves from a retracted position in which the bottom surface is substantially flush with the hull to a more extended position beneath the hull, and vice versa.

It is an object of the invention to provide a trim and planing control unit of the above sort, which is operated from within the hull of the craft under variable pressurization of the envelope by a fluid, gaseous or liquid; and to provide a marine craft equipped with a unit or units of this type.

More particularly, it is an object to provide an inflatable control plane structure in the form of a flexible, gas-tight envelope, which may or may not also be elastic or resiliently deformable. Also, by preference, the envelope is of special cross sectional outline, being generally of triangular cross section, When inflated, in a vertical plane from fore to aft, with the apex of the section disposed forward. This affords a bottom planing surface which, when the plane is retracted, lies substantially flush with the adjacent surface of the bottom of the hull, and which inclines downwardly and aft-wise beneath the hull when internally pressurized and inflated to a greater or lesser degree. Accordingly, the craft planes smoothly and without undue friction through the water when the planing envelope is deflated or more or less inflated to adjust trim or planing attitude.

Further in accordance with the invention, it is contemplated that the trim control, envelope-type plane may be characterized by bellows or accordion aft and/or side walls to contribute to a well controlled action in inflating or deflating.

In addition, the invention contemplates a planing control unit in which the bottom surface of the envelope plane is clad with a thin metal plate co-extensive in area therewith, to further contribute to stability of action, and to protect the unit.

In accordance with the principle disclosed in the above entitled Eckfield application, the improved fluid pressurecontrolled plane unit or units of the invention may be installed in a recess forward of the stern transom of the water craft, thus being in effect wholly or partially shielded from the rear in its respective retracted or extended positions, being flush with the hull surface when fully withdrawn into the recess. However, the recess may be one which opens aft through the transom or, indeed, the control envelope will operate well when not at all recessed into the hull.

In general it is an object of the invention to provide fluid pressure controlled and adjusted trim and planing means of the type referred to which is readily, quickly, and sensitively regulated as to the position of a lower planing surface thereof in relation to the bottom hull outline, and which has provision for regulating the control fluid pressure, whether pneumatic or hydraulic, from the interior of the craft. Dual control units each received within a hull recess are herein illustrated and described. However, the invention does not contemplate any particular limitation as to the number, exact location or size of the control unit or units. As a matter of fact, the inflatable control structure, unitary or otherwise, might conceivably occupy a major portion of the immersed portion of the boat bottom.

The foregoing as well as other objects will become more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the stern of a marine power craft equipped on either side of its keel line with a trim and planning control unit in accordance with the invention, indicated in dot-dash line in a retracted position within the hull bottom and forwardly of the transom of the boat;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale more or less schematically showing the extended and retracted positions of the inflatable control structure in solid and dotted line respectively;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the control unit in a retracted position, indicating its positional relationship at the stern of the craft just aft of the rudder provisions, which constitute no part of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical fore-to-aft cross section, on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, through the center line of the control unit, as installed within a recess in the hull bottom, extended and retracted positions of the unit being indicated in solid and dotted line, respectively;

FIG. 5 is a view, partially broken away and in transverse vertical section on line 5-5 of FIG. 4, these two views indicating an optional accordion or bellows-type wall feature of the inflatable envelope of the unit; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged scale view in the plane of FIG. 4, showing the connection of variable control fluid pressure inflating means to a planing-control envelope.

FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a pair of improved fluid pressure controlled units of the invention in an inoperative or retracted position thereof as installed forwardly of the stern transom 12 of the hull 14 of a marine power craft. Although capable of efficient use in a boat whose transom is flat or rectilinear from either side of its keel line at 16 to its chine lines at 18, the illustrated transom 12 has its bottom edges 19 curving laterally outwardly and upwardly to chine lines 18; and the transom 12 also bows more or less uniformly from its fore-to-aft center line across the beam dimension of the transom, as illustrated in FIG. 3. As it happens, the transom is shown as bowing to the rear and upwardly, although this particular curvature is not typical.

These points are mentioned as indicating the capability of the unit or units 10 to be installed practically universally in marine craft of varying specific hull design. The twin screws 20 and rudders 21 of boat 14 are shown in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 indicates the general positioning of each unit 10 in relation to the shaft packing 22 of the rudder structure 23 of the craft. As shown therein, an inflating device or unit, generally desigated 24, for the control plane structure or unit 10 is located in the upright fore and aft plane of packing 22; however, this arrangement is of no particular significance, since unit 10 can be controlled as to its internal pressurization from any convenient location; but as illustrated in FIG. 4, the connection of inflation device 24 extends upwardly through the hull 14 into the cockpit space of the vessel.

Now referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, trim and planing control units 10 are shown as being installed in recesses 26 in the hull bottom whose upper surface inclines slightly upwardly and aft-wise toward transom 12, the recesses being disposed well forwardly of the transom,

terminating rearwardly at an upright wall of the intervening hull portion 27, which may in effect be considered to be a bottom extension of transom 12. However, the unit 10 also operates well when the recess therefore extends aft through the transom.

The forward end of recess 26 is defined by an upwardly offset hull shoulder 28; so that in a deflated and retracted condition, the control plane unit 10 comes, as indicated in dotted line in FIG. 4, flush with adjacent bottom surfaces of hull 14. As also indicated in FIG. 1, the recess 26 is laterally contoured in conformity with the curved stern outline; and this is also true in regard to the contour of control plane 10 at the rear surface thereof. Accordingly, in the dotted line retracted position, control unit 10 is fully covered across its rear by the transom structure. The recess is defined laterally by upright side walls 29 closely adjacent the sides of unit 10, as indicated in FIG. 3.

Each trim and planing control unit 10 comprises, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a flexible and pneumatically or hydraulically inflatable envelope 30, which may be fabricated of a suitable inelastic or elastic material, such as rubber or an appropriate flexible plastic composition. Envelope 30 is air tight; and the material thereof may, if desired, be reinforced by appropriate fibrous filamentary means of a sort commonly employed for that purpose.

It is molded, or otherwise produced of seamed components, in a general triangular cross sectional outline including a top wall 32, a bottom wall 33, a rear wall 34, and side walls 35. Top wall 32 is appropriately bonded, as by vulcanizing or by suitable adhesive means, to the top wall of recess 26; and wall 32, as well as bottom wall 33, will preferably have a curvilinear contour from side to side in an installation in a craft whose hull is thus contoured. Hence the unit 10 nests within recess 26 with its forward apex portion 36 directly adjacent the recess shoulder 28 and its rear wall 34 adjacent the rear of recess 26, as best shown in FIG. 4.

By preference, the envelope 30 has an accordion or bellows-shaped wall conformation, per FIGS. 4 and 5, being molded or otherwise shaped to provide an intermediate pleat 37 extending horizontally across its rear wall 34, and intermediate side pleats 38 (FIG. 5) extending fore-toaft along the midzone of its side walls. These accordion formations contribute to stability and ease of operation of the envelope 30 in its motions between the solid and dotted line positions of FIG. 4.

Also by preference, in accordance with the invention the bottom wall 33 of envelope 30 is externally sheathed and protected, also stiffened to some extent, by a thin gauge metal plate 39 which is substantially coextensive in fore-to-aft and side-to-side dimensions with envelope wall 33.

For the purpose of variably pressurizing the interior of envelope 30, a rigid tubular line 40 is provided, which, as schematically shown in FIG. 4, is equipped with a control valve 41. Line 40, as a component of the fluid pressure control device 24, connects in a suitable way (not shown) with a source of pneumatic or hydraulic pressure within the craft; and valve 41 enables the degree of internal pressurization of plane envelope 30 to be regulated as desired, thus enabling unit 10 to be partially or wholly extended at its bottom, as required by the amount of trim or planing adjustment which is desired.

Referring to FIG. 6 in conjunction with FIG. 4' the pressure control tube or line 40 is brought upwardly through hull 14 within an upright tubular sleeve 43 having an integral bottom flange 44, against which the upper surface of envelope wall 32 comes flush, with a pressure gasket 45 interposed. The bottom of tube 40 is also flanged at 46, where it bears upwardly against a pressure washer 47; and the assembly of the device 24 in completed by a nut 48 (FIG. 4) threaded tightly downwardly on to a washer 49 above the top of hull 14.

This structurally completes the control plane unit 10 and its installation, in a preferred form, on the vessel. Various modifications may be made in the unit 10, also its mode of mounting to the boat hull 14, such as will occur to those skilled in the art. Both in regard to its own structural features and the manner in which it is mounted to the hull, the improved control structure of the invention is simple and inexpensive of fabrication and installation. Yet it is amply rugged for the purpose and affords a sensitively responsive fluid ressure operated inflatable and deflatable unit for the desired purpose.

While the plane unit 10 is shown as being stiffened at its bottom by a metal plate 39, this could of course be a non-metallic member of appropriate rigidity for the purpose. Likewise, it is quite possible that rigidity of the bottom surface of the plane could be provided by controlling the physical properties of the material from which the envelope is made. That is, conceivably the material of the envelope could be rubber or plastic compounded in such a manner as to alter its physical properties to provide a rigid portion for the bottom surface, while all other parts of the envelope could be flexible. Also, the rigidity might be accomplished by imbedding a rigid material other than metal, in the bottom portion of the envelope, assuming the latter to be of a material in which a rigidifying plate can be incorporated.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Planing and trim control means for marine craft comprising a flexible, hollow and inflatable plane unit triangular in longitudinal section and adjustable as to said triangular section by variable fluid-pressurization of the interior thereof, said plane unit having a surface at which it is adapted to be fixedly secured to the hull of the craft, and a planing surface which is faced downwardly of the hull when the unit is thus secured, and means for variably pressurizing said interior to adjust said planing surface between a retracted position adjacent said hull when so secured and an extended position more remote from the hull when inflated, said plane unit consisting of a fluid type envelope having a top wall bonded to the hull, a bottom wall attached at its forward end to said top wall forming the apex of said triangular section, a rear wall connecting said top and bottom walls and bellowshaped side walls, said rear wall being located immediately forward of the rear of said boat so that said bottom wall extends rearwardly to a point adjacent the rear of said hull, said bottom wall in retracted position extending substantially flush with the bottom of the hull and forming a smooth continuous extension of the hull surface, said bottom wall in inflated position forming a planing surface inclining downward and aft-wise at a substantial angle to the normal hull surface, said bottom wall being itself adapted to constitute a planing surface, said envelope also having a bellows wall formation at each of the opposite sides thereof to facilitate inflation and to collapse automatically and otherwise unaided to assist deflation.

2. The control means of claim 1, in which said envelope has a relatively inflexible, thin rigid plate secured thereto at the bottom thereof to provide said planing surface, said plate extending for a substantial longitudinal distance of said bottom wall and otherwise unattached to said hull.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,265,206 12/1941 Stampfi 1l466.5 3,026,839 3/1962 Fridge 114-66.5 3,159,131 12/1964 Frederick 114--66.5

ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner. 

